VIJAYAWADA: Cutting across political lines, class, creed and religion, people of Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam districts on Tuesday paid homage to former President APJ Abdul Kalam, who passed away on Monday.
Every single office, educational institute and organisation observed silence as a mark of respect to the people’s president, who left a lasting impression on the minds of people and showed them how to serve the motherland selflessly and with utmost dedication.
Offering floral tributes to Kalam at the TDP district office, irrigation minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao recalled the contribution of the former President to the country in every aspect. He called upon people to emulate his example.
Paying homage to Kalam, Krishna district collector Babu A said Kalam was his inspiration. He said he was lucky to have interacted with the former President five times. “The first time was when I completed my IAS training and I still remember him asking us to recite a poem. The last time was when he visited Vijayawada and I spent an hour with him at Gannavaram airport,” collector recalled. Kalam’s life should be an inspiration to all and his loss is irreparable, he said.
Sub-collector S Nagalakshmi recalled her first meeting with Kalam as first year student of BITS Pilani. She said Kalam had always thought of how to better the living standards of Indians and always hoped to make the world better for everyone. City commissioner of police (incharge) G Suryaprakash Rao and others offered floral tributes at the police commissionerate. CRDA commissioner N Srikanth paying homage to Kalam said everyone should strive to achieve the goal of former president - a better society. VMC commissioner G Veerapandian also paid floral tributes to former President.
Condoling the demise of Kalam, Guntur district collector Kantilal Dande said the nation was indebted to Kalam for making it self-reliant in missile technology. It was due to Kalam’s efforts, the country had made a mark in space science. “He always asked us to dream and strive to realise it. Let us do it,” he said. Guntur Range IG N Sanjay also paid floral tributes to Kalam along with urban SP SS Tripathi, Acharya Nagarjuna University vice-chancellor KRS Sambasiva Rao and others.
As a mark of respect to Kalam, Vigyan educational institutions in Guntur announced its decision to include Igniting Minds, a book penned by the former President in the curriculum of class VI to undergraduate courses. The institutions chairman had cancelled his 64th birthday celebrations in view of Kalam’s demise. Students of schools and colleges in the region offered tributes to their favourite leader APJ Abdul Kalam.